CONTENTS

1. Academic Matters
2. Practical Matters
3. Housing
4. The Bay Area
5. Transportation in the Bay Area
6. International Students. Note that comments directly specifically to international students will be in an italic font and will be marked by the flag symbol ().
7. To Do Lists

INTRODUCTION

Berkeley is a wonderful and exciting place to be a student. However, getting settled in may seem a somewhat daunting task. The graduate students of the Transportation Engineering program have produced this guide to ease your transition into life at Berkeley. A general word of advice: your time here at Berkeley is what you make of it. If you take the time to talk to professors and fellow students, you will invariable be wiser for having done it. You will continually have to take this initiative, but we guarantee that it will be worthwhile for you and the Transportation group as a whole. You have direct control over the strength of this department; volunteer your time and get involved if you’d like to see any academic, institutional, or social improvements.

On that note, here is our informal Survival Guide, written by students for students. Any opinions expressed are not official. A similar, more formal guide is published by the University, entitled “Where to Begin: A Guide for New Graduate Students.” It can be found at www.grad.berkeley.edu/new_students/pdf/where_to_begin.pdf .

This work is an evolving document, and the work of many hands. We have made a reasonable attempt to ensure that the information in this guide is accurate. We make mistakes; we’re only human. Please bring these mistakes to our attention so that they can be fixed for next time. We hope that you will find this guide useful. In this light, if you find we’ve omitted or belabored anything, please feel free to forward any recommendations for future versions to Josh Seelig (jseelig@berkeley.edu). Your input will be greatly appreciated by next year’s incoming students.

1. ACADEMIC MATTERS

Berkeley is a large university, and in your time here you will come in contact with a number of administrative offices, department staff, and even a professor or another student or two. The department staff are generally helpful, friendly, and well worth knowing. Keep in mind that smiles and the words "please" and "thank you" are always appreciated. We strongly recommend that you attend the orientations offered in August, where much of the following information will be expanded upon.

Our Little Corner of UC Berkeley

The Transportation Group is one of the specialties within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (the “CEE department,” or sometimes just the “CE department”) in the College of Engineering at UC Berkeley. The Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) is one of the University’s independent research groups, and is separate from the Transportation Group. The majority of the professors are employees of the Department and also receive research funding through ITS and/or PATH (Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways) which is also part of ITS. Some of the instructors are affiliated only with ITS. UCTC (University of California Transportation Center) is another research entity that funds research of both instructors and students. Additionally, some student research positions are available with research engineers at ITS or PATH who are not faculty members. Some of these researchers are located at UCB’s Richmond Field Station (RFS), just a few miles north of campus in Richmond. This may seem a bit cumbersome, but for all practical purposes for learning or doing research, the divisions between the various units are invisible to students.

Doing Business with the University

There are three main offices that you should become familiar with. The first is the Civil and Environmental Engineering Academic Affairs Office (AAO) located in 750 Davis Hall. This office handles forms for various important bureaucratic processes, such as getting on the degree list. It also handles salaries for GSI and reader positions. The second is the Institute of Transportation Studies located in 109 McLaughlin Hall. The staff there handles mail, desks, keys, and other administrative matters. Finally, there is the ITS Payroll office located in 108B McLaughlin that handles the timecards that you will fill out every month for your GSR appointment if you have one.

The next level of administration is the University Graduate Division (located in Sproul Hall); you may occasionally have contact with these offices. The Berkeley campus-wide administration is also housed in Sproul Hall.

Fellowship checks are delivered in University Hall (located at the corner of University Avenue and Oxford Street). To avoid standing in line after your first visit to this office, you should arrange to have fellowship, GSR, or GSI checks to be deposited directly into your bank account. This is known as Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and is wonderfully hassle-saving. To arrange this for your fellowship, fill out a form at University Hall. For GSR appointments, consult the friendly folks at the ITS Payroll Office, and for GSI appointments go to the AAO.

GSR Appointments

If you have an appointment as a Graduate Student Researcher, go to 108B McLaughlin as soon as possible to complete the paperwork. You will need to bring proof of eligibility to work, just like any other job. Two forms of ID which prove citizenship or permanent residency status are required (such as a driver’s license and passport).

International students will also need to bring their I-94 or IAP-66 (which should be stapled to their passport), as well as their I-20 form. Delay in filling out the paperwork not only delays your first check, it may also result in missing deadlines for some of the fee waivers and reimbursements. If you are a GSR, you will need to turn in your timecards on a monthly basis.

GSI and Reader Appointments

If you have an appointment as a Graduate Student Instructor or Reader with the CEE Department, you will receive a Letter of Appointment from the AAO Office in 750 Davis Hall. It is important that you read this letter carefully and respond to it as soon as possible. When you come in to complete your employment packet, you will need to bring proof of eligibility to work, just like any other job. Two forms of ID which prove citizenship or permanent residency status are required (such as a driver’s license and Social Security Card). International students will also need to bring their I-94 or IAP-66 (which should be stapled to their passport), as well as their I-20 form. Delays in completing your paperwork will not only delay your first paycheck, it may also result in missing deadlines for some of the University’s fee waivers and reimbursements.

2 NOTE for international students: before being appointed, prospective GSIs who do not speak English as a native language or do not hold a bachelor’s degree from an institution in the United States are required to take the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) Test. The test is administered through the Graduate Student Instructor Teaching and Resource Center at 301 Sproul Hall.

Important contacts, phone numbers and some responsibilities:

Civil & Environmental Engineering Academic Affairs Office, 750 Davis Hall Joan Chamberlain - 510-643-1713 - GSI and reader positions Yong No - 510-643-8944 - General Academic Affairs for all of Civil Engineering

Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS), 109 McLaughlin Hall Norine Shima - 510-642-3588 -Keys Kay Stevenson - 510-647-3586 - Reimbursements, Copy Codes Steve Campbell, Assistant Director of ITS - Office Assignments

ITS Payroll Office, 108B McLaughlin Hall Isabel Chen - 510-643-3164 -GSRs with last names starting with A-G and T-Z Eboni Wilson -510-642-3508 - GSRs with last names starting with H-S

Classes and Seminars

You will be assigned an Advisor from the faculty who will help you decide on your course of studies. You will find out at orientation who your Advisor is. Of course, you are free to talk to other faculty, especially concerning courses which they teach. Advisors vary in their approach to this task but in general can provide helpful advice. Even with the online registration system, Tele-Bears at https://telebears.berkeley.edu/telebears/tbserver , you must let your advisor know about your course schedule. Be familiar with group offerings, degree requirements and try to identify any of your special interests before you see your advisor.

Each semester the Transportation Group makes available a description of course offerings and the degree requirements for the various degrees offered through the Department. You should receive a copy of these at orientation.

Everyone must take the three core courses (CE 250, 251, and 252), fulfill the statistics requirement by taking CE262 or placing out via an exam at the beginning of your first semester, and a technical transportation course. Otherwise, the choice of classes is left up to the student. Continuing Transportation students are a great source of information on courses. Try to get opinions from various students; a course that someone thought was absolutely great may have been a disappointment for another student. You should register via Tele-Bears for at least the three core courses almost immediately, because you need to be registered as a half time student in order to do lots of little administrative things, such as to be able to register for the gym and to receive your Class Pass.

Even though you have elected to major in Transportation, do not hesitate to take courses outside the department, as long as you discuss your courses with your Advisor. Many students venture into City and Regional Planning, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Economics, Statistics and other areas of Civil Engineering, to name some of the most popular choices. Most departments have information online, which is easily accessed by going to www.berkeley.edu/academics/departments/a.html and performing a search. Additionally, you can find a schedule of all UC Berkeley classes at http://schedule.berkeley.edu .

Every Friday afternoon the Department and ITS sponsor a Transportation Seminar series which brings in speakers from the community, the university and visiting scholars. The topics vary with the organizers’ interests and range from academic lectures to issues forums involving community groups. It’s a good place to get a look at the diversity of the transportation field. The seminar is preceded by a cookie (half)-hour at which students, faculty, staff, and the speakers can meet informally. The student Ph.D. Seminars, also held on Fridays, provide another good opportunity to expand your horizons, and to learn about the research of your colleagues. Attendance is open (and encouraged) to all students, regardless of your degree goal. For both the Seminar series and Ph.D. Seminars, you will receive e-mails and see signs detailing each week’s topics.

Computing Facilities

ITS provides personal computing capability in 118 McLaughlin for all students in Transportation, and additional computers are scattered throughout the student offices. Students also use computer labs in Davis Hall 345. The equipment in 118 McLaughlin is primarily IBM-compatible, with one Apple Macintosh machine. You will need to provide your own paper for the ITS computer lab printers. You can store the paper in the lockers that you will receive on the 4^th floor.

E-mail on the Berkeley campus is an essential communication tool. Free e-mail accounts and Internet access are available to all students. Indeed, all students are expected to have a campus e-mail account. Details on how to set up an account will be provided after you arrive. You can open a civil engineering account (@ce.berkeley.edu) and/or a more general Berkeley (@berkeley.edu) account. Most people seem to prefer having the more generic-sounding @berkeley.edu account. As soon as you get an e-mail account, you should get on the transportation students mailing list, so that you’re in the loop. The staff, faculty, and students all use this list to distribute important information; you will be expected by many people to be on the list. You should be put on the mailing list automatically at the beginning of the semester. Contact Norine Shima if you think you haven’t been put on the mailing list for some reason.

If you have any questions about the computing facilities which a fellow student can’t answer, the ITS Systems Unit is the best place to start. They are in 111 McLaughlin and will help with hardware problems or connections to other campus systems. They have a software and documentation library (available for ITS purposes) but they do not offer support for any commercial packages (word processors, spreadsheets, statistical packages etc.).

Harmer E. Davis (ITS) Transportation Library

The Harmer E. Davis Transportation Library (412 McLaughlin Hall) has one of the most complete collections of transportation literature in the nation. The library is open M-F 9-5, but students can make arrangements for use at other times.

One of the keys to effective use of the library is to learn to use the on-line MELVYL catalogs and many other databases. Valuable training sessions are offered through out the semester; these are highly recommended.

The other key to success is the library staff, who really want to help you find what you’re looking for. They are a great resource, so don’t be afraid to ask questions! For more information about the library, go to www.lib.berkeley.edu/ITSL .

Office Space

As in most working environments, there is never as much space as you’d like. Office space is at a premium for staff, faculty and students. Getting a desk in an office provides a place to work, to hang out and to have discussions on anything from the Oakland A’s to the problem set you just spent all night over (a little foreshadowing). Office space is assigned after the term has begun with priority going to GSRs, then GSIs, then Ph.D. students who have advanced to candidacy, and then the rest. You may end up sharing a desk. Keep an eye out for the sign-up deadline (not long after the semester starts) in any case. For more information, contact Norine Shima.

2. PRACTICAL MATTERS

Support

The majority of the students who work as Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs) in the Group are involved in research for an individual professor or for one of the three main research programs:

1. PATH program (Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways), with a focus on ITS and ground transportation. www.path.berkeley.edu . Faculty contact: Alex Skarbardonis.
2. UCTC (University of California Transportation Center), with a focus on policy and multi-modal transportation. www.uctc.net . Faculty contact: Betty Deakin (City and Regional Planning).
3. NEXTOR (National Center of Excellence for Aviations Operations Research), with a focus on aviation operations. www.nextor.org . Faculty contact: Mark Hansen.

There are few Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) positions available within the Transportation Group. You can, however, check with the various professors.

If you have been offered a position, begin to speak with professors who have projects that you are interested in or with whom you may enjoy working to begin finding yourself a GSR position. This is necessary as they fill up fast (usually within the first week of class). The entire process is a bit unfocused and unsupervised, so it is best to keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities, and to take the initiative to hunt down a GSR position that is right for you. Talk to professors or other students if you are feeling overwhelmed or confused by the situation.

If you have accepted a position, check with the particular professor to see if you need to do anything besides seeing Payroll in (108B McLaughlin) to complete the necessary paperwork. When completing your GSR or GSI paperwork you need to bring you social security card, driver’s license, or a passport. Keep an eye out for the deadline to file a request for desk space (usually not long after school starts).

If you were not offered a position, do not be reluctant to go around and talk to the professors and researchers (you may be offered a GSR position even if you were not initially guaranteed one). Some professors prefer to spend some time interviewing candidates (usually quite informally) before making any offers. In other instances, a project leader’s funding may not be confirmed until the middle of summer and the professor will not announce that a position is available without an assurance of funding.

Information about fellowships and scholarships is generally circulated via e-mail. GSI and GSR salaries, and most fellowships, are subject to U.S. and California taxes. If your salary includes payment of your tuition and fees, that portion is probably non-taxable; check with the Civil and Environmental Engineering Academic Affairs Office in 750 Davis Hall.

Note 1: While there are non-resident tuition waivers available, but they are not guaranteed – you will need to ask your research advisor whether it is available for your project. Also, non-resident tuition is never waived for US students after the first year (because should have become California residents by this point).

Note 2: As with any bureaucracy, it takes time (4-6 weeks) to get on the payroll. Even if you meet the August deadline to sign all your paperwork, your first paycheck will not be available until October 1-. Make sure you can cover your expenses at least until then. Short-term emergency loans can be arranged in 220 Sproul Hall.

Note 3: Students who return for a second year of study are not automatically guaranteed the same support they received in the first year. There is plenty of financial support available, but you must keep your eyes open for it.

Also look for outside fellowships; applications may be due at any time.

California Residency

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident living outside of California, you should take immediate steps toward establishing California residency when you arrive in Berkeley. Do not delay! This is very important and can save you a great deal of money later on. Start establishing residency from the day you arrive, because you must be in California for at least one full calendar year before the start of your second year of classes to qualify for instate fees. Even one-year Masters students should go through the trouble of establishing and documenting residency immediately, because you never know if you might want to change your degree, take some time off, etc.

The University requires proof that you have lived in California for at least one year and "show intent to permanently reside in California" before they would consider you to be a resident. This includes maintaining a "physical presence" in the state, even when school is not in session; you are allowed to leave the state for 21 days during the calendar year, if you exceed that, you will need to explain your reasons for leaving the state. There is now the additional requirement that you be financially independent. This means that you are not claimed as a dependent on your parents’ income tax, among other things. ( Students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. cannot become California residents, except for a few visa categories. Information is available from the Residence Office in 120 Sproul Hall 510-642-5990). In any case, here are some of the things you should do to prove your good intentions. SAVE ALL DOCUMENTATION!!

1. Get a California driver’s license or ID card.
2. Register to vote in California. This can be done when you get your driver’s license or ID card.
3. Register your car in California.
4. Open a local checking account (keep the first statement showing the opening deposit).
5. Close your non-California bank accounts (keep the letter stating intent to close the account(s), as well as the last statement, showing a zero balance).
6. Keep all of your rent receipts, credit card receipts, etc. This is particularly important over periods when school is not in session; you may be required to document your presence at 4-5 day intervals.
7. File a California State income tax form, even if you have nothing to report. In your first year, it will be Form 540NR; thereafter, Form 540.
8. Whenever you fill out a University form that asks for your "permanent address," use your Berkeley address.

All of these are just suggestions, as the full requirements differ each year. The required documentation checklist for the Fall 2005 semester can be found at http://registrar.berkeley.edu/elecforms/grreschecklist.pdf .

All of the above should be done immediately; ideally as soon as you have an address. These tasks are quite painless, but have a way of being forgotten once classes have begun. Note that under California law if you do not register your car within 20 days of moving into the state there is a fine, which increases over time. More information is available from the DMV: www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/howto/nonresident.htm .

California Driver’s License

A photographic California driver’s license or State Identification (ID) Card is invaluable for check cashing and other miscellany; it is universally accepted (and demanded) as the primary form of identification here. The best source of information about this is the DMV website: www.dmv.ca.gov/dmv.htm . Check the hours before you go to the DMV; sometimes they have unexpected closures, odd weekend hours, etc. From Berkeley, the two most convenient DMV offices are:

Oakland office (in the Rockridge neighborhood, convenient for Southside):5300 Claremont Ave. 800-777-0133

www.dmv.ca.gov/fo/offices/fo.cgi?fo=oakland504

El Cerrito office (convenient for Northside): 6400 Manila Ave. 800-777-0133

www.dmv.ca.gov/fo/offices/fo.cgi?fo=elcerrito556

You can call or register online ( https://eg.dmv.ca.gov/foAppt/Welcome.jsp ) for an appointment to avoid waiting in line at the office.

The DMV’s book on California driving laws, which you will want to review before taking the written test is available online at www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/driver_handbook_toc.htm . No driving test is required for the license if you have a valid out-of-state license. ( International students will need to take a road test. The SISS people have info about this: http://ias.berkeley.edu/siss/practicalinfo/ssndmv.htm ).

Banks, Checks and Cash

Many banks and credit unions are available around campus. It’s best to do research on the banks’ individual services and accounts/fees on their websites since things change very often. In addition to the large commercial banks (Bank of America, Citibank, First Interstate, Wells Fargo), Berkeley has a number of smaller institutions (Mechanics Bank, Washington Mutual, Union Bank of California) that offer checking accounts. There are also two credit unions; one is a state employees’ credit union (The Golden One) which you can join if you are a GSR or GSI. If you use direct deposit (and you should, to make life a lot easier) for your GSR/GSI check, some banks waive monthly minimum balance fees.

There are several things to keep in mind when you’re shopping. These include the policy regarding placing holds on deposits, identification required to open a checking account, location of automatic tellers (Wells Fargo and Bank of America have several on the south side of campus on Bancroft (Wells Fargo) and Telegraph Ave (B of A), and most of the others have some downtown), and automatic teller networks. Most California banks are on the STAR system, and some are on the nationwide Cirrus and PLUS systems.

If you don’t already have a credit card, you should consider getting one. Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and others offer student credit cards; you can apply (and will probably receive one) even if you don’t have your checking account at that bank. If you are denied a credit card from the major banks, you might consider asking your bank for a Check Card, an ATM card with a VISA or MasterCard logo, which your bank might give you even without asking.

The Cooperative Center Federal Credit Union (2855 Telegraph Ave. at Ashby, 510-845-6428, www.coopfcu.org/ ASP/home.asp , and outside Lower Sproul (beside Bear’s Lair) has been recommended by students as a "no-fee" alternative which still offers checking and Visa credit cards to students.

Out-of-area checks are not accepted by grocery stores and local merchants. To get around this problem when you arrive, it may be beneficial to come equipped with at least $500 in traveler’s checks, and the remainder of the funds you wish to deposit in the form of a certified or cashier’s check, which you can usually (but not always) convince the banks to make available immediately. If you stay in the UC dormitory, they should take out-of-state checks for payment of room rent; you should also be able to use an out-of-state check for your apartment deposit and first and last months’ rent.

Health Services, Medical and Dental Insurance

At Berkeley, the Health Service provides access to doctors and a fair array of laboratory and other services. What cannot be handled by is referred to doctors and hospitals in the area. Health Services is located at the Tang Center (2222 Bancroft Way at Ellsworth, 510-642-2000). They have outpatient care. It is generally the first place to go when medical attention is required. The HS acts as the "gatekeeper," providing primary care and referring students to outside specialists when necessary. Most doctor visits, either at the Tang Center or outside specialists, are either totally covered or have a minimal deductible, so take advantage of this coverage while you can.

All graduate students at UCB are required to have health insurance. For the Spring 2005 semester, the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (GSHIP) cost $458/semester and included major medical, mental health and dental coverage for a full twelve months if you pay for two semesters. Note: the university pays this fee for GSRs and GSIs who hold an appointment of 45% time or more. It is possible to get exemption from this plan if you can show comparable existing coverage (see www.uhs.berkeley.edu/students/insurance/waiver/tools.shtml for more information). In case of specific questions you can call the GSHIP information line at 510-643-7197.

Upon your first visit to the health center, ask to receive your Gold Card and that will be your ticket to a simple and easy visit to the doctor. Remember to always bring your Gold Card when visiting the Tang Center on subsequent visits. (If you are an international student, you must wait until you have your Social Security Number (SSN) to receive your health card.)

 

3. HOUSING

This chapter discusses one of the most important things of all: where you will hang your hat while in school. The first thing you should do is get yourself a good map of the East Bay, especially Berkeley.

Berkeley is divided loosely into several parts, including Southside, Northside and the Hills, the Flatlands, and the Marina district.

Southside and Northside are east of Martin Luther King, Jr. Way (MLK); they are divided by the campus. Approximately 8,000 students live in Southside and the housing is of varying quality. Some is "student ghetto" housing; some is located in nice residential neighborhoods. The eastern portion of Southside closest to campus consists largely of undergraduate dorms, apartment buildings, fraternities, and sororities.

Northside is hillier than the relatively flat Southside. Northside consists of private residences intermixed with apartment complexes and houses divided up into flats; as one progresses northward, the proportion of private residences increases. There are very few apartment buildings north of Rose Street. The Hills are even hillier than Northside; living there generally requires a car for shopping, although commuting to campus can be done from some locations by bicycle and bus.

The Flatlands extend roughly from MLK westward towards the Bay. The Flatlands are sometimes regarded as a higher-risk area to live in (auto insurance rates are substantially higher with some companies), although many students do live there happily and safely, and generally at lower cost than elsewhere in Berkeley. The Marina district is basically an industrial area adjacent to Interstate 80.

Many students live in the cities south of Berkeley in Oakland and Piedmont or to the north in Albany, El Cerrito, and Richmond. Generally they use transit facilities, scooters, or bicycles to get to campus. A few students live in San Francisco and commute to school by car, BART or AC Transit.

University and Co-op Housing

The most up to date housing information is available at http://calrentals.housing.berkeley.edu/grad_stu_serv.html.

In previous years students in University Housing have lived in the International house, the College-Durant Apartments and married student housing in Albany. University-owned housing fills quickly, so it will be better if you apply earlier.

Graduate student apartments include Manville Apartments and College-Durant. Both have opened recently and are very nice if you are looking for a more “dorm like” experience. Manville opened about ten years ago and is located at the corner of Channing and Shattuck. It offers studio apartments for graduate students, with a preference for law students. The rents for the 2004-2005 school year ranged from $870 to $899/mo. College-Durant is very conveniently located and is around $800 to $900/mo for a single room in a furnished shared apartment.

If you really want to live in a dorm you can try Davidson Hall. As a dorm, it offers double and triple rooms. Other university housing holds mostly freshmen and sophomores, although there are no restrictions that would prevent a graduate student from living there.

Applications for housing for the Fall of 2005 are available through June 6, 2005. A $25 application fee is required and one application can be used to simultaneously apply to several units (i.e., Manville Apartments and Davidson Hall). Other information on dorm rates can be obtained by calling Residence Hall Information at 510-642-4108 or at www.housing.berkeley.edu .

The University also operates about 1,000 apartments for married students and students who are parents. The rents range from about $581 to $1524/mo (utility included) for one-bedroom to three-bedroom apartments. Most of the apartments are in an area near the Bay (Albany village) a couple of miles northwest of campus (10 minutes by car if you can find a place to park, 25 minutes by bicycle). There is convenient public transportation (AC Transit Route 52 and 52L) to the campus from these apartments. The remaining apartments are within walking distance of the campus, but are very hard to get. You must be married or have a child to apply. Couples without children can apply for housing before they are married but their application will be held "inactive" until they submit a copy of their marriage certificate or CA domestic partner certificate. Expect a 1-month to 1-year waiting period, depending on the type of apartment. Students can apply before they are admitted to Berkeley and can thus shorten their waiting time. Construction is currently going on and planed through 2008. Rents are subject to an annual increase to cover operating and future construction cost. For more information and applications, contact Apartment Assignments Office Residential and Student Services Building at 2610 Channing Way, 510-642-4109. See www.housing.berkeley.edu/housing/family for more info.

International House (I-House) is a University-affiliated institution located at the southeast corner of campus (2299 Piedmont Avenue). Students, especially those from outside the U.S., may want to consider living there. I-House is clean, friendly and close to campus. Only upper division and graduate students are permitted to live there, and graduate students have the option of living in a single or double room. When applying, Post Doctorates and Graduate Students have the highest priority. For the 2004-2005 school year, a double room ran $8290 to $9604 for each person for the academic year. A single room ran $9659 to $10902. The rates include a 15 meal weekly board plan. The information number for the I-House admissions office is 510-642-9470. The non-refundable application fee is $35. The I-House web page is http://ihouse.berkeley.edu .

Another option is cooperative housing. The University Student’s Cooperative Association (USCA) houses about 1,000 students in a variety of houses and apartments. The $60 application fee includes a $50 deposit, refunded if you change your mind or do not get a space. There is a special rate for Educational Opportunity Program/Affirmative Action (EOP/AA) students of $35. Applications for Fall 2005 spaces are due as early as possible, but this assignment process continues throughout the school year (meaning you can apply whenever you want.) There is an all-singles house in the Flatlands for graduate and re-entry students called the Convent. Transportation student Brendan Nee (brendan@berkeley.edu) lives there now. In any of the other houses expect to share a room. Room and full board in the other houses is expected to be about $2,400 a semester plus five hours of work a week for the coming year. USCA’s apartments rent between $1,500 and $2,900 per room for a semester depending on location and size. You can get your own room in a studio to 4-bedroom apartments, with shared bathroom and kitchen. However the waiting list for the apartments is usually very long, and almost impossible to get into without seniority in the co-op system. For further information, call 510-848-1936. See www.usca.org or e-mail housing@usca.org for more info.

“Off Campus,” or Private-Sector Housing

Most students live off campus in small apartment complexes or shared housing. Craig’s List ( www.craigslist.org ) can be the most helpful resource in finding inexpensive housing (amongst other things). You can find roommates, shared housing and great deals. It is important to realize while tons of people use this website with no problems, you are in an urban environment and you need use your good street sense when responding to ads off the Internet. You can also find used furniture and almost anything else you desire.

Cal Rentals is the university office (2401 Bowditch Street at Channing, 510-642-3642) that has listings for houses and apartments to rent or to share. From our experience other on line services are more helpful and provide better listings. Cal Rentals will want to see your registration card or letter of admission before letting you use their listings. They also have a file of people looking for places to live. Check out http://calrentals.housing.berkeley.edu for more info.

Homefinders (2158 University Avenue at Shattuck, 510-549-6450) has a similar deal. They charge $55 for rental listings for two months with a $30 refund available after 30 days. Shared housing listings are available for $25 for one month. Their phone-in service is free. If you use a computerized listing service, you should elect the widest possible choice of accommodations, so you get to see all the listings. (Don’t let the computer weed out things in which you might be interested.) Similarly, ehousing ( www.ehousing.com ) offers this kind of service.

In addition to these sources, local newspapers such as The Montclarian (for Oakland and Piedmont) and the Berkeley Voice (for Berkeley) publish information on houses, studios, cottages, apartments, and shared housing for rent in the area

The "Faculty Wives" also sponsor a "Housing Search Assistance Program" for international students in a temporary office at I-House, for a few weeks before the semester starts (exact start date unknown). The program can be reached at (510) 642-2646. The program offers free listings (same as those offered by the Community Living office), free cookies (!), a free phone, and lots of advice (albeit conservative!).

Temporary Housing

While you are looking for housing, you will need a place to stay. We’d be happy to host you; contact Josh Pilachowski at joshpila@berkeley.edu if you’d like to crash with a current student. Hotels and motels are relatively expensive, at least $60 per night. Over the summer, the University rents out rooms in some dormitories through the University Guest Residence Program, operated by Conference Services. The cost is $32 per person for a double room, or $50 for a single. The rooms are available approximately June 1 through the second week in August, at which point they revert to dormitory service. You can make a reservation and get details about these accommodations by calling Residence Hall Summer Housing at 510-642-5796. Note that some of these rooms are taken well in advance (some dates are already booked up in February). If you will be arriving after 6:00 p.m., you must make arrangements in advance or you will not be able to get into the building to register. Another alternative is the YMCA in downtown Berkeley (510-848-6800) for $25 a night. Maximum stay is 14 nights.

Rents and Stuff

Rents in the Bay Area are expensive. Oakland, Albany, El Cerrito, and Emeryville offer housing which is sometimes cheaper and usually easier to find, since these communities are farther away from campus, but obviously your commute will be longer than if you lived in Berkeley. Leases are either of the month-to-month tenancy or a one-year lease; in either case, be prepared to give the landlord as much as three times the monthly rent before you can move in: the first and last month’s rent plus a one-month security deposit refundable with interest. Rents vary a lot: a quick look at what’s available on Craig’s List at www.craigslist.org/eby/hhh will show you some ranges. Expect to pay from $500 for a place with some roommates that might be a bit far from campus up to $1500 for a super great place all for yourself.

The State of California and the City of Berkeley have laws which provide much protection for tenants. Among other things, these laws specify that tenants may not be evicted without proper cause and that rents on apartments can be raised only once a year. The UC Housing office can provide more information about your rights. Also, if needed, you can consult with the Renters’ Assistance Project of the Associated Students of UC (ASUC), located in Eshelman Hall.

You will generally need to pay a deposit to Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E); they usually ask for $110, as the deposit is supposed to equal two months’ average service. If this seems too much, complain to PG&E, mentioning that you are a poor starving student, and they may lower the deposit to $90 or less. The phone company (Pacific Bell), too, may demand a deposit, plus payment of installation charges in advance; this can come to as much as $80.

Getting Settled

If you’re looking for second-hand furniture, check the free East Bay Express Classified Flea Market ( www.cfm.com ), Craig’s List ( www.craigslist.org ), newspapers, garage sales (but be prepared to go early to get the best stuff!), and the Ashby flea market (at Ashby BART Sat/Sun). There are also several junkyards on Gilman Street west of San Pablo. Although they mostly carry useless stuff, you can sometimes find real gems.

International students might be in need of the most basic household items (especially if you are planning to live alone). The "Faculty Wives" operate a volunteer-run Equipment Loan Center (Haste St. east of Telegraph, in Building F, behind the Housing Office, no phone number; call SISS for details) for international students. This is an invaluable place where you can borrow, for about $10, cooking utensils, linen, etc. for the duration of your stay at Berkeley. Please note that the office is only open Wednesdays 1-3.

Final Thoughts on Housing

It is a good idea to get here early, if possible by mid-August (for Fall entrants) or early January (for the Spring semester), in an attempt to avoid the rush. Don’t expect to be able to find a place to live over the phone. You may have to spend a week or two looking for a place. If the housing search frustrates you, keep two things in mind: first, you can always move if you don’t find the ideal place (especially if you have a month-to-month or one-term lease). Just about everyone does at some point during their stay in Berkeley. Second, like every one of us, you will eventually find housing more or less to your satisfaction.

4. THE BAY AREA

The San Francisco Bay Area is without question one of the best places in the United States to be a student. There are many, many things you can do when you should be studying.

Geography of the Bay Area

Berkeley is on the east side ("East Bay") of San Francisco Bay ("The Bay"), north of and adjacent to the city of Oakland. San Francisco is about 7 miles (12 km) across the Bay. The Bay Bridge connects Oakland with San Francisco. San Francisco ("The City," or "SF," but not "Frisco") lies on the northern end of the San Francisco Peninsula. The Peninsula stretches 40 miles (65 km) south to Palo Alto (home of Stanford University) and San Jose (in "Silicon Valley"). North of San Francisco, across the Golden Gate Bridge, is Marin County. North of Berkeley are the cities of El Cerrito, Albany, and Richmond, and to the east, on the other side of the Berkeley Hills, are Orinda, Lafayette, Walnut Creek and Concord.

A great encyclopedic introduction to the Bay Area is given at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Bay_Area

Climate

Wonderful! Berkeley is close enough to the ocean to benefit from its climate stabilization, but far enough inland to avoid some of the morning fog that hangs over SF during the summer months. Fall is probably the best season, with little fog and moderate to warm temperatures. August and September are the warmest months, but the thermostat rarely exceeds 30°C/90°F in Berkeley proper. In winter the temperature rarely, if ever, gets below freezing, but it can be cold (5°C/40°F).

The winter rains (mostly just a drizzle) start sometime in late November, and last through March. The normal seasonal rainfall is roughly 30 inches. The rains generally cease in spring, and it gets warmer, with shorts weather beginning in early May. However, it is not unusual to experience 80°F in March. The summer brings fog generally dissipates by mid-morning.

If you go to the east side of the Berkeley Hills or down to the San Jose area in the summer, the temperatures can be in the 40°C/100°F range. No matter what time of year, the evenings and early mornings are always cool and you will find you will have to carry a sweater or light jacket.

Recreation and Things to Do

With a valid student ID, you can satisfy many of your recreational needs at the Recreational Sports Facility (RSF) and other facilities on campus. RSF is the University's largest, most complete fitness center with over 100,000 square feet of activity space, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, an 8,500 sq. foot weight room, and over 80 cardiovascular machines. Student fees are only about $35 per semester. RSF is located at 2301 Bancroft Way; 510642-6400.

Berkeley is well endowed with diversions, including dozens of cinemas and theaters, all kinds of musical events, coffeehouses, bookstores, and so on. San Francisco is only a short bus or BART ride away; it has all the things one would expect in a major city, including a symphony, opera, museums, galleries, ethnic neighborhoods, good restaurants, etc. Many say it is the most beautiful city in the U.S., and you should not ignore it during your stay here. Pick up the free Bay Guardian ( www.sfgate.com ) or SF Weekly ( www.sfweekly.com ) to figure out what's going on in the City, and the East Bay Express ( www.eastbayexpress.com ) for the East Bay.

Off campus, there are many natural diversions. Berkeley itself has a Rose Garden and many natural parks scattered through the city. Just east of Berkeley and Oakland are numerous, good-sized parks run by the East Bay Regional Parks District. They are ideal for picnics, day hikes, and bicycling trips. San Francisco has Golden Gate Park and a wonderful rugged, rocky coastline. Marin County has many beautiful natural areas, such as Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods, and Point Reyes National Seashore. Farther north are magnificent redwood forests along the coast, the Napa Valley wine country, and the "Gold Country" along Highway 49. To the south, there are many parks in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and beautiful rugged coastline along Highway 1. Farther away are the Sierra Nevada, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, and many other park and wilderness areas. River rafting, skiing, and backpacking are all very popular. And we've only mentioned the most obvious places.

Places to Eat

Restaurants abound in the Bay Area. Vegetarians will delight in the plentiful offerings in Berkeley and throughout the Bay Area. Innumerable small ethnic and fast food places surround the Berkeley campus; some of them are very good and most are cheap. Northside located near the corner of Hearst and Euclid just off campus is by far the most common lunch hangout for Transportation Engineering students, offering everything from gourmet hot dogs (at the infamous Top Dog) to sushi. Southside immediately south of campus generally offers a wider selection for lunch, if you want to venture (about 10 minutes) across campus. There are also several offerings west of campus along Shattuck Avenue, including a number of favorite pubs; perfect for a post-seminar happy hour.

5. TRANSPORTATION IN THE BAY AREA

As you can imagine, we probably have more to say about transportation than just about anybody else on campus. Following is an introduction to many of the options available.

University Transportation

The Department of Parking and Transportation is responsible for most transportation in and around campus. Visit their website at http://pt.berkeley.edu for a full listing of the services they provide.

As a UC Berkeley student, you are entitled to a Class Pass which is affixed to your student ID and allows you semester-long, unlimited use of Bear Transit and AC Transit. The cost of this pass is included in your student fees but the pass itself must be obtained in person at the Student ID Office near Sproul Plaza (or requested online). For information about obtaining your pass, visit http://pt.berkeley.edu/classpass .

The University of California runs campus shuttle buses. Stops around campus are marked with a Bear Transit sign. The most frequent bus is the P, which leaves downtown Berkeley (on Shattuck Avenue at Addison Street, one block from the downtown Berkeley BART) every 12 minutes during the day and travels the main campus’ perimeter. It costs $0.50, but it’s free with a Class Pass. Additionally, many Transportation students will use the RFS bus, which departs campus for the Richmond Field Station every hour. Its cost is $1.00 (unfortunately not free with a Class Pass). For a full description of Bear Transit services, visit http://pt.berkeley.edu/beartransit .

Biking is allowed on campus in all paved areas except marked dismount zones in the center, though pedestrians have priority on most paths. For extra security and convenience, bicyclists can apply a secure bike parking space at one of five locations around campus. Visit http://pt.berkeley.edu/transportation_alternatives/#BicyclesOnCampus for details and an application. It is also highly recommended your bicycles get registered as bike theft is fairly common on campus and in Berkeley. The UC Police Department will register your bicycles for free and usually have a booth out on Sproul Plaza the first two weeks of the Fall semester for this purpose and continue to have a booth every Friday lunchtime throughout the rest of the semester.

The campus is dominated by pedestrians during the day, and you’ll find that it’s a beautiful place to walk. At night, it’s suggested that you avoid walking alone around campus. If you find yourself on campus at night and don’t want to walk alone, the UCPD will provide you with an escort. Visit http://police.berkeley.edu/coes/ucpdcsoescort.html for more information.

Mass Transit

There are about 26 transit agencies that serve the Bay Area. Below, you’ll find links for the major agencies. A good orienting resource for Bay Area transit can be accessed at www.511.org or by calling 511 or 817-1717 from any area code. Most UCB students rely primarily on AC Transit (bus), BART (rail system), SF MUNI (bus and light rail), and Bear Transit (bus) for getting around, but it will all depend on what corner of the Bay Area that you carve out for yourself. To give you an idea of the transit available to you, here’s a brief intro to some of the transit services provided in the Bay Area:

AC Transit – Serving Counties of Alameda, western Contra Costa, and the Transbay Terminal in San Francisco

AC Transit is the main bus transit provider in the East Bay, serving Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, Fremont, and all points in between, with service to the Transbay Terminal in San Francisco. Feeder routes run directly to all sides of the UC campus during rush hours (Campus serving AC Transit buses are 7, 40L, 51, 52, 52L, 65, and F). Travel on all AC Transit buses is free with the Class Pass. Without the Class Pass, the local fare is $1.50, $0.25 extra if you want a transfer. The network allows you to get to within two blocks of almost anywhere in the East Bay. Even Transbay service is free with the Class Pass. Without a pass, it costs $3.00 for a one-way trip to San Francisco. AC Transit’s Transbay buses to San Francisco are identified by letters (e.g. F). Local bus designations contain numerals,

e.g. 43, 51, or 72R. To get more detailed info about AC Transit maps and schedules, go to www.actransit.org/ riderinfo schedules . The N – MacArthur Owl bus is the only way to get back to the East Bay on public transit after midnight. It only runs once an hour and drops you off in downtown Oakland, from which you can catch the 51 or 72 to Berkeley. However, downtown Oakland is a bit sketchy at night, so it’s recommended that you don’t do this alone.

BART – Serving Counties of San Francisco, Contra Costa, Alameda, and northern San Mateo

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is our local heavy rail transit system (510-465-BART or www.bart.gov ). BART connects almost all the central business districts of the East Bay and San Francisco, including direct connections to San Francisco International Airport. BART has five overlapping routes (each route is named by its two terminus stations); two of these routes do not run in the evenings or weekends. Luckily, most transfers are timed so that passengers experience very little waiting time when transferring. The fare from Berkeley to downtown San Francisco is $3.05. The last BART trains depart at about midnight.

You may take your bike on BART except during "commute hours in the commute direction", which can be determined from their schedules. Bicyclists have a few rules when riding BART. Bikes are not allowed in the lead BART car; NO platform-riding; bikes are prohibited from the escalators, etc. Bicycle permits are no longer required.

BART has general area maps showing how to make some basic connections to the bus systems. Look for "Buses and BART" and the ever popular "Fun Goes Farther on BART," which describes attractions accessible by BART

SF MUNI – Serving Counties of San Francisco and northern San Mateo

All AC Transit buses end up at the Transbay Terminal in San Francisco, which provides connections to SF MUNI, Golden Gate Transit, and Greyhound. SF MUNI is San Francisco’s bus, streetcar and light rail transit agency. Local fares are currently $1.25 with a free transfer, although there is talk of raising the fare to $1.50. Streetcar and light rail lines are marked by letters (F, M, L, K, etc.), and bus lines are numbered with primary street or destination served (38 Geary, 38 Transbay Terminal, etc.). The E and F lines use historic electric streetcars and pretty darn nifty. Transit service in San Francisco is generally frequent and widespread. For more information, call 415-673-6864 or visit www.sfmuni.com/cms/mms/routes/indxrout.htm .

Other transit agencies

As you can probably imagine, there are many more mass transportation options available. If you plan to explore the depths of the Bay Area using transit, here is a sprinkling of some additional agencies and areas served:

Caltrain: Rail link between San Jose and San Francisco through San Mateo County (“the Peninsula”) ACE (Altamont Commuter Express): Rail service from the Central Valley to San Jose Amtrak: Regional, State, and Nationwide train service. There is an Amtrak station in Berkeley along the “Capital

Corridor” route, linking San Jose to Sacramento. Golden Gate Transit and Ferry: Bus and ferry service for Marin and San Francisco SamTrans: Bus service in San Mateo County San Jose VTA: Bus and light rail service in Santa Clara County WestCAT: Bus service in Western Contra Costa County

Getting to Berkeley

Berkeley is accessible by car from I-80/580. When you arrive in the Bay Area, take the University Avenue exit to campus. Proceed all the way up University (heading east), and when it ends you are here. Parking your car will be more difficult. There is metered on-street parking as well as parking garages, but many such lots are restricted to those who have university permits. During the workday, long term parking is difficult to find.

BART is the simplest and most effective means of getting to the university. The downtown Berkeley BART station is two blocks west of the university. Once you surface from the underground station, just look toward the hills and start walking.

Airlines

There are three major airports in the Bay Area. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Oakland International Airport (OAK) are by far the most popular options. (Avoid San Jose (SJC) since it is far away (60 miles, 100 km) and does not have a good connection to Berkeley). SFO is on the Peninsula about 9 miles south of downtown SF and is connected to the BART system. You can take an automated tram around the airport to reach the BART platform. From there, a BART trip to the Berkeley station will take about 1 hour. Your trip using BART may involve at most one transfer. The one thing to be careful of when using BART and SFO is with late night flights. BART typically does not run much past midnight out of SFO. So if your flight is landing at about that time, it is possible that you might get stuck without any transit options out of there. Then you will have to rely on a taxi, and then you will have to pay upwards of $50.00 or more to get where you’re going. So if you are coming into SFO, check ahead with the BART schedule online.

Oakland International Airport (OAK) is 6 miles (10 km) south of Downtown Oakland. The Oakland airport is the closest to Berkeley of all three major airports and it also interfaces with BART as well as AC Transit. The easiest way to travel from the Oakland airport is with BART. BART has a connector bus (called the AirBART) that takes about ten minutes to ride from the airport doors to the Coliseum/Airport Station. Details on getting to either SFO or OAK via BART can be found at www.bart.gov/news/features/features20041117.asp .

Another transit option out of the Oakland airport is to take the Alameda County (AC) Transit bus No. 58 to the Coliseum BART station for $1.50 and then take BART to Berkeley. This is cheaper but you may have to wait longer for an AC Transit bus than for the AirBART shuttle. In addition you can take a variety of other options. If you check out OAK’s website and go to the “Shuttles, Limos, & Taxis” section ( www.flyoakland.com/shuttles.shtml ) you will find some choices.

Trains

If you are coming into the Bay Area and you do not want to use a car or a plane, Amtrak is actually an option. Convenient stations are in Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, and Richmond. The Richmond Amtrak station is colocated with the Richmond BART station; you can take the BART into downtown Berkeley. From the Berkeley station you can take AC Transit Route 51 to downtown Berkeley.

Bus:

Greyhound has terminals in the seedy districts of Oakland and SF. There are no stops in Berkeley. You can take an AC Transit bus from the Oakland depot into Berkeley or walk two blocks and get on BART. The SF terminal is the Transbay Terminal. You can catch an AC Transit F bus upstairs or walk around the corner to the BART station on Market Street.

Other Ways of Getting Around

By Car, Motorcycle, Moped, or Scooter

It’s easy to get around in the Bay Area and to points beyond without owning a car. Freeway and city-street congestion is notorious in this area and parking in Berkeley, San Francisco, Albany and Oakland is often difficult to come by or expensive. However, lots of students choose to own their own set of wheels. Note that much of Berkeley’s street parking is controlled by residential parking permits, and if you live in a dormitory or any University-owned housing facility, you cannot obtain on-street parking permits.

Simply put, driving to school can be expensive and even painful at times, but it is a choice that is the best possible option for many students. If you plan on commuting by car daily, there are a handful of fees depending if you buy a parking permit. See http://pt.berkeley.edu/documents/PermitOptionsTable.pdf for details. You must be a registered student and live more than two miles from campus to purchase a student permit, but even with the proper permits, parking is not guaranteed, and sometimes the hunt for a parking space can last upwards of 10 minutes and still be inconvenient.

For those unfamiliar with California laws, never park where the curb is painted blue (disabled parking) or red, and of course never block a fire hydrant. White and yellow curbs are for drop-off and pick-up; green curbs allow you to stop for a little longer. A word of caution: Never have the words “Wow! They’re not as strict here with parking tickets as they are in [your hometown here]” been uttered in Berkeley. Consult the DMV’s Driver Handbook ( www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/pubs.htm ) for more precise rules concerning parking issues.

Some people prefer to commute on a motorcycle, moped, or scooter. There are lots of places to park these vehicles. The climate, terrain, and distances here make the motorcycle an attractive form of transport, although it does get a little soggy during the winter. Mopeds or scooters may not have enough power to get up some of the Berkeley hills. To park a moped or scooter in campus lots, you still need a permit.

Bicycling

If you live a fair distance from campus or a food store, a bicycle is a good bet. The City of Berkeley has been promoting bicycle use for a number of years, resulting in a great biking environment. Most recently, the city completed the installation of seven Bicycle Boulevards, which are city streets that parallel busy arterials that are specially striped for bicycle use. Often these roads are partly blocked to cars by traffic diverters that allow bicycles to pass through. These diverters are annoying if you are driving, but great if you are biking! The city also publishes a brochure called “Biking in Berkeley,” which is usually provided to students on Sproul Plaza at the beginning of the semester. For more information, visit Berkeley’s Office of Transportation website at www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ transportation/ Bicycling/bicycling.html . UC Berkeley also provides maps of biking through the campus, called “Rolling through Berkeley”. Visit the Parking and Transportation website, http://pt.berkeley.edu/ transportation_alternatives/bicycle_information . If you’re interested in finding out more grassroots and activist information about biking in the Bay Area, visit the Bicycle Friendly Berkeley Coalition’s website at www.bfbc.org .

There are numerous new and used bike shops in and around Berkeley, including Missing Link (1988 Shattuck at University, 510-843-7471) and Bent Spoke (1615 University at California, 510-540-0583); for others use the amazing powers of Google. Missing Link has both new and used bikes for sale, whereas Bent Spoke has primarily used bikes (and a good selection). The mention of these shops should not be considered an endorsement; we have just dealt with them happily in the past. Ask your fellow students when you arrive where they got their wheels.

Protect your investment by carrying one or two U-type locks (and a cable as well; redundancy never hurts) since Berkeley is a mecca for bike thieves. Some U-locks provide insurance with registration of your product. Also, protect your brain by wearing a helmet.

You are not allowed to ride your bike through Sproul Plaza on campus between 7:45 and 6:45 M-F (strictly enforced, you can and likely will receive a ticket if you violate this). State law requires that you register your bike with either local or Campus police, although the enforcement of this law is somewhat obscure and there are those who have not registered their bikes and get along just fine. Campus police will be at Sproul Plaza during orientation and the first week of school to register bikes for free (we also received rear blinking lights for free last year). You can also go to the "Bike Bureau" in Anthony Hall at anytime, although it may cost you $5 if not done during the first week.

City Car Share and Rental Car Agencies

Some students may want to have infrequent access to a car for grocery trips, buying bulk items, going out late at night, etc. For these trips, students might be interested in joining City Car Share, a program, which enables you to use and pay for a car by the hour. Students at UC Berkeley can benefit from discounted rates. Mileage charges include gas and insurance costs. For more information, visit their website at www.citycarshare.org .

If you need a car for a full day or weekend, Enterprise Rent-a-Car seems to have the best rates and they have an office close to campus on Oxford Street. Visit their website at www.enterprise.com .

6. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

If you will be coming to Berkeley from outside the United States, you probably have some additional things to take care of.

Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS)

UC Berkeley Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS, at International House; 2299 Piedmont Ave at Bancroft; 9 am-noon & 1-4 pm; 510-642-2818; siss@uclink.berkeley.edu) provides advising on immigration matters, financial concerns and personal issues. You should visit SISS upon arrival, and receive their free "Welcome Packet" which, among other things, describes the many orientation sessions offered to incoming international students. Please check SISS website at www.ias.berkeley.edu/siss .

Getting your U.S. Entry Visa

The visa process is best started early. The normal flow of events should be something like this: SISS will be sending you a form to verify that you have enough money to support yourself for the first year. This is the Confirmation of Financial Resources Form (CFR). You need to show about $34,000 for the first year (more if you plan to stay the summer, or if you have dependents). If you can prove financial support for more than one year, do so. SISS may not be aware of any support offer made to you by the department. Attach a copy of the support letters when you fill out this form.

The deficit between your support and the $34,000 (or more) needs to be completed by showing them personal funds or sponsorships from relatives at home or abroad. (Usually a statement to this effect from your sponsor and a bank statement of the sponsor is enough.) SISS will mail you an I-20 (for an F-1 visa) or an DS-2019 (for a J-1) shortly after receiving the CFR.

So far so good. With an I-20 (or DS-2019) and the documents for financial support for your first year, visit your friendly U.S. Embassy. Call the embassy or check the website including visa procedures ( www.travel.state.gov ); this will tell you both the steps and duration of the procedures, which vary from one country to another. In case of any problems, it would be appropriate (and efficient) to contact the SISS.

Shortly after arriving in Berkeley, you should check-in with SISS. There is a mandatory "Staying Legal" workshop offered many times in the weeks before classes start. Among other issues, this will explain how to get your I-20 or IAP-66 endorsed if you wish to leave the country temporarily. Carry photocopies of all relevant documents (e.g., proof of admission and financial support, I-20 or IAP-66, etc.) when re-entering the U.S.

Getting your Social Security Number (SSN)

On campus, you don’t exist without a UC Student Identification (ID) card. Off campus, the same often applies without a Social Security Number (SSN). This number will be requested by just about any application form you can think of (bank accounts, credit cards, California ID, pay for GSI/GSR work, and of course, taxes). This number uniquely identifies you to the government. Do not, however, give out your SSN to everyone who requests it - some people have no valid reason to do so. You will receive instructions for obtaining a SSN in your "Welcome Packet" from SISS.

You can obtain your Social Security Number in one of two ways: (1) After arrival, subscribe to SISS LISTSERV (as will be described in your "Welcome Packet" from SISS). SISS will provide instructions on how to obtain your SSN. (2 –we were unable to confirm this method so don’t trust us on this one) After August, take your passport and I-20 (or DS-2019) to Social Security (2045 Allston Way, just below Shattuck; 9 am – 4:30 pm Monday through Friday; 800-772-1213), and then wait 2-3 weeks for your card to be sent in the mail. However, they will probably give you a toll-free phone number to obtain your SSN over the phone in a few days.

Initial Finances

The initial period may seem to be rather expensive to you especially if you come from a country with a currency not as high as the dollar. Don’t count on being paid before October if you are a GSR (or GSI). (If the department employs you, you might get an interest-free loan from University Hall to pay fees; contact SISS.) Bring enough money to last you a month and some initial expenses. (About $5000 would be a reasonable figure, although SISS recommends much more than this, namely $9000 for initial expenses). Get your money in traveler’s checks (in U.S. currency). International checks will take forever to come through. Most bank drafts are convenient too, but all in all travelers checks are a better bet. We would also advise international students to get an American credit card, if possible. The credit card can be used to buy plane tickets, rent a car, buy things online, and for other purchases. Two credit cards are easy to get: CUBS (campus credit union) Visa with a $500 limit and American Express Blue for Students with a $2600 limit (must have a Social Security Number to obtain).

Some Health Care Advice

Unless you show comparable existing coverage, you will be covered by the mandatory GSHIP (see Chapter 5). It covers most aspects of your health care except for eye care, and pre-existing conditions. It would definitely be cheaper to get a complete eye checkup in your home country before you come here. Also, in case you use corrective eyeglasses or lenses, it may be a good idea to get a spare set.

It is important to note that some medication that is available over-the-counter in your home country can only be purchased with a prescription (e.g., contraceptive pills). Bring descriptions of any medicines you take regularly (sometimes what’s written on the box is enough if it’s in English), since brand names vary. These descriptions will help doctors here to prescribe something "similar" to what you are used to.

Taxes

The time will come (every April 15) when you have to settle your debts with "Uncle Sam" (specifically, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, IRS). Even if you did not earn U.S.-source income you will usually have to file an Income Tax Return. The SISS is quite helpful in this regard; although they cannot do your taxes for you, they offer special tax workshops in the Spring for international students. These workshops are highly recommended, as the U.S. and California Tax Returns can be quite difficult to understand.

GSI Spoken English Requirement

Generally, all GSI appointments (note: there are very few in the department) require proof of spoken English proficiency for students whose native language is not English. (If you have a degree from an "English-speaking university" this requirement might be waived). For more information, or to arrange to take the SPEAK exam, consult the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department in Davis Hall.

International Peer Advisors

Some international students have volunteered to provide suggestions and advice. Feel free to contact the following students, and ask around to meet other students from your part of the globe.

Chile, Juan Carlos Herrera: jcherrera@berkeley.edu China, Yu Zhang: zhangyu@berkeley.edu France/Europe, Charles-Antoine Robelin: car@melix.org India, Gautam Gupta: ggupta@berkeley.edu Israel, Offer Grembek: grembek@berkeley.edu South Korea, Soyoung Ahn: sueahn@berkeley.edu Thailand, Jittichai Rudjanakanoknad: jitticha@berkeley.edu Yugoslavia/Europe, Tanja Bolic: tbolic@berkeley.edu

The “To Do” Lists

Three lists are provided, to prioritize what you need to do when you get to Berkeley (or in some cases, before). Please note that these lists may not be comprehensive; we’ve certainly forgotten items! Any recommendations to improve these lists would be greatly appreciated.

To Do Immediately Upon Arrival

• Set up a local Bank Account (checking account, credit card)

• Get a California driver’s license or personal Identification Card (if you aren’t a driver) at the California Deptartment of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

• If you are a US citizen, register to vote in California. You can pick up registrations at the DMV, libraries, and post offices.

• Create a file to keep all of your credit card, hotel, rental and other receipts.

To Do During Orientation Week (General)

• Register on Tele-Bears ( https://telebears.berkeley.edu ). Enroll in at least one class by the registration deadline; pay attention to add/drop deadlines.

• Check in with the CEE department (750 Davis Hall) to pick up registration packet (when available).

• Get your UC Berkeley Student ID card ( http://calphotoid.berkeley.edu ) Cal Photo ID Office, 110 Cesar Chavez Center, Lower Sproul Plaza, 510-643-6839, M-F 9 am-5 pm. Bring your student ID number or TeleBEARS letter, and a valid identification document.

• Pick up your AC Transit Class Pass Sticker (free AC Transit use for the semester) on Sproul Plaza once you’ve gotten your Cal ID.

• Enter your new address in the BearFacts system ( http://bearfacts.berkeley.edu ), using first your ID number and your Tele-Bears PIN code.

• Attend orientation sessions (CEE Dept., Transportation, ITS Library, ITS Systems Unit, Graduate Student).

Sort out GSR forms in 108B McLaughlin; 510-642-1694. (GSI forms are sorted out with CEE Academic Affairs in 750 Davis). International students, bring your I-94 or DS-2019, which should be stapled to your passport)

• Set up a Calmail account (https://calmail.berkeley.edu:10100)

More Optional Stuff To Do If You Are Feeling Ambitious.

• Visit Parking and Transportation Services ( http://pt.berkeley.edu ) at 2150 Kittredge, 1st floor. Services include parking permit purchases, citation payments and appeals, and alternate transportation packages and information.

• Bike licensing information (http://pt.berkeley.edu/transportation_alternatives/bicycle_information) or 510642-2987.

• Attend Harmer E. Davis (ITS) Library extra informational sessions (if you’d like to ever use the library during "closed" hours... which you will.)

• Visit the University Health Service ( http://www.uhs.berkeley.edu ). Attend the Health Orientation and get your Student Health Card called the "Gold Card". (Tang Center 2222 Bancroft Way at Ellsworth, 510-6425700).

Please give us feedback on this guide! (E-mail jseelig@berkeley.edu).

To Do For International Students

Arrange your visa well before you plan to come to the U.S.

• Check in at UC Berkeley Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS; http://ias.berkeley.edu/ siss/index.html ; at International House; 2299 Piedmont Ave. at Bancroft; 9 am-noon & 1-4 pm; (510) 642-2818; siss@berkeley.edu). They will provide you with a "Welcome Packet"; read it carefully. It will give you important instructions, such as subscribing to student LISTSERV, which provides essential information such as getting your social security number, obtaining financial-aid opportunities and attending tax workshops.

• SSN Registration (See the paragraph titled "Getting your Social Security Number")

• Attend the "Staying Legal" (F1 or J1) session at the International House; Immigration Check-in (120 Sproul Hall; passport with I-94 or IAP-66 stapled to it & I-20 or IAP-66). Info at http://ias.berkeley.edu/